Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.

Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Jifeng Zhu

Jun Chen

Zhenyu Lu

Si Ping Hu

Qian Tao

Yushi Hu

Xiaowang Dai

Li Hong Xiao

Zi Qun Hua

Jin Wen Dong

Lan Yao

Yu Huang

Haohao Yang

Simon Shi-Ning Yang

Kun Bao

A Man Zheng

Steve Weiyi Yang

Jia Wen Wang

Zhong Zhang

Ji Xia

Tao Wang

Meng Yan

Shi Qi Huang

Yan Ni Li

Yongna Li

Lidong Song

Zongliang Huo

Jun Liu

He Chen

Shaoning Mei

Zhiliang Xia

Yong Qing Wang

Weihua Cheng

Siping Hu

Liang Xiao

Jin Lyu

Yang Fu

Shaofu Ju

Sheng'an Xiao

Jinwen Dong

Steve Wiyi Yang

A memory device includes an alternating layer stack including conductive/dielectric layer pairs stacked in a first direction, a first insulating layer on the alternating layer stack, a thickness of the first insulating layer being larger than a thickness of the dielectric layer, and a channel structure extending through the alternating layer stack and the first insulating layer along the first direction. The channel structure includes an epitaxial layer disposed at a first end of the channel structure away from the first insulating layer, a functional layer on the epitaxial layer and extending along the first direction, a channel layer covering a sidewall of the functional layer and in contact with the epitaxial layer, and a filling structure covering a sidewall of the channel layer. The memory device further includes a channel column structure at a second end of the channel structure near the first insulating layer and in contact with the channel layer, and a top selective gate structure over the first insulating layer and between neighboring channel column structures.

Three-dimensional memory devices and fabricating methods thereof

A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a staircase structure disposed over a substrate. The staircase structure includes a plurality of layer stacks, where each layer stack is made of a first material layer over a portion of a second material layer. The staircase structure further includes a plurality of landing pads, where each landing pad is disposed over another portion of the second material layer of a respective layer stack.

Staircase structure for memory device

Various embodiments disclose a 3D memory device, including a substrate; a plurality of conductor layers disposed on the substrate; a plurality of NAND strings disposed on the substrate; and a plurality of slit structures disposed on the substrate. The plurality of NAND strings can be arranged perpendicular to the substrate and in a hexagonal lattice orientation including a plurality of hexagons, and each hexagon including three pairs of sides with a first pair perpendicular to a first direction and parallel to a second direction. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The plurality of slit structures can extend in the first direction.

Memory cell structure of a three-dimensional memory device

Embodiments of a hybrid-bonded semiconductor structure are disclosed. The semiconductor structure comprises a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure in a base dielectric layer. The base dielectric layer has a non-flat top surface. A first top surface of the first conductive structure is non-coplanar with a second top surface of the second conductive structure. The semiconductor structure further comprises an alternating dielectric layer stack comprising a plurality of dielectric layers sequentially disposed on the base dielectric layer, wherein at least two of the plurality of dielectric layers have non-uniform thickness. The semiconductor structure further comprises a first lead wire and a second lead wire formed in the alternating dielectric layer stack and electrically connected to the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure, respectively.

Method for forming lead wires in hybrid-bonded semiconductor devices

A method for forming a 3D memory device is disclosed. The method includes: forming an alternating dielectric stack on a substrate; forming a plurality of channel holes penetrating the alternating dielectric stack; forming a channel structure in each channel hole; forming a channel column structure on the channel structure in each channel hole; trimming an upper portion of each channel column structure to form a channel plug; and forming a top selective gate cut between neighboring channel plugs.

Embodiments of three-dimensional (3D) memory devices and methods for forming the 3D memory devices are disclosed. In an example, a NAND memory device includes a substrate, one or more peripheral devices on the substrate, a plurality of NAND strings above the peripheral devices, a single crystalline silicon layer above and in contact with the NAND strings, and interconnect layers formed between the peripheral devices and the NAND strings. In some embodiments, the NAND memory device includes a bonding interface at which an array interconnect layer contacts a peripheral interconnect layer.

Three-dimensional memory devices and methods for forming the same

Embodiments of methods and structures for forming a 3D integrated wiring structure are disclosed. The method can include forming an insulating layer on a front side of a first substrate; forming a semiconductor layer on a front side of the insulating layer; patterning the semiconductor layer to expose at least a portion of a surface of the insulating layer; forming a plurality of semiconductor structures over the front side of the first substrate, wherein the semiconductor structures include a plurality of conductive contacts and a first conductive layer; joining a second substrate with the semiconductor structures; performing a thinning process on a backside of the first substrate to expose the insulating layer and one end of the plurality of conductive contacts; and forming a conductive wiring layer on the exposed insulating layer.

Method for forming three-dimensional integrated wiring structure and semiconductor structure thereof

Embodiments of source structure of a three-dimensional (3D) memory device and method for forming the source structure of the 3D memory device are disclosed. In an example, a NAND memory device includes a substrate, an alternating conductor/dielectric stack, a NAND string, a source conductor layer, and a source contact. The alternating conductor/dielectric stack includes a plurality of conductor/dielectric pairs above the substrate. The NAND string extends vertically through the alternating conductor/dielectric stack. The source conductor layer is above the alternating conductor/dielectric stack and is in contact with an end of the NAND string. The source contact includes an end in contact with the source conductor layer. The NAND string is electrically connected to the source contact by the source conductor layer. In some embodiments, the source conductor layer includes one or more conduction regions each including one or more of a metal, a metal alloy, and a metal silicide.

Three-dimensional memory devices having a plurality of NAND strings located between a substrate and a single crystalline silicon layer

Embodiments of methods for forming a hybrid-bonded semiconductor structure are disclosed. The method include disposing first second, third, and fourth dielectric layers, forming first and second openings by etching the fourth dielectric layer using a first etching selectivity, etching the third and fourth dielectric layers in the first and second openings respectively using a second etching selectivity, etching the second and third dielectric layers in the first and second openings using the first etching selectivity, etching the first dielectric layer in the first opening and the second dielectric layer in the second opening using the second etching selectivity, etching the first dielectric layer in the first and second openings using the first etching selectivity, and forming conductive material in the first and second openings.

Embodiments of bonded semiconductor structures and fabrication methods thereof are disclosed. In an example, a method for forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. A first interconnect layer including first interconnects is formed above a first substrate. A first bonding layer including first bonding contacts is formed above the first interconnect layer, such that each first interconnect is in contact with a respective first bonding contact. A second interconnect layer including second interconnects is formed above a second substrate. A second bonding layer including second bonding contacts is formed above the second interconnect layer, such that at least one second bonding contact is in contact with a respective second interconnect, and at least another second bonding contact is separated from the second interconnects. The first and second substrates are bonded in a face-to-face manner, such that each first bonding contact is in contact with one second bonding contact at a bonding interface.

Hybrid bonding using dummy bonding contacts

Embodiments of three-dimensional (3D) memory devices and methods for forming the 3D memory devices are disclosed. In an example, a NAND memory device includes a substrate, a plurality of NAND strings on the substrate, one or more peripheral devices above the NAND strings, a single crystalline silicon layer above the peripheral devices, and one or more interconnect layers between the peripheral devices and the NAND strings. In some embodiments, the NAND memory device includes a bonding interface at which an array interconnect layer contacts a peripheral interconnect layer.

Three-dimensional memory devices having a plurality of NAND strings

Embodiments of bonded semiconductor structures and fabrication methods thereof are disclosed. In an example, a method for forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. A first device layer is formed above a first substrate. A first bonding layer including a first bonding contact is formed above the first device layer. The first bonding contact is made of a first indiffusible conductive material. A second device layer is formed above a second substrate. A second bonding layer including a second bonding contact is formed above the second device layer. The first substrate and the second substrate are bonded in a face-to-face manner, such that the first bonding contact is in contact with the second bonding contact at a bonding interface.

Bonded semiconductor structures having bonding contacts made of indiffusible conductive materials and methods for forming the same

Embodiments of hybrid-bonded semiconductor structures and methods for forming a hybrid-bonded semiconductor structure are disclosed. The method can include providing a substrate and forming a base dielectric layer on the substrate. The method also includes forming first and second conductive structures in the base dielectric layer and disposing an alternating dielectric layer stack. Disposing alternating dielectric layer stack includes disposing a first dielectric layer on the base dielectric layer and the first and second conductive structures and sequentially disposing second, third, and fourth dielectric layers. The method further includes planarizing the disposed alternating dielectric layer stack and etching the alternating dielectric layer stack to form first and second openings using preset etching rates for each of the first, second, third, and fourth dielectric layers. The etching continues until at least portions of the first and second conductive structures are exposed. The method also includes forming conductive material in the first and second openings to form lead wires.

Growing community of inventors

Hubei, China

Jifeng Zhu